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NEW! Endress+Hauser Soliphant® Series Level Switches
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• Select models offer CSA general purpose or FM hazardous location ratings
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Starting at $21.50 (THMJ-B02L06-01)
Temperature sensors provide accurate and reliable feedback for temperature control and monitoring applications.
• Optris infrared pyrometers
• Temperature switches and transmitters
• Thermocouples, RTDs, and thermowells
The Flowline LR80 EchoBeam® FMCW radar level transmitter is unaffected by most media, processes, or environmental factors. Its Bluetooth LevelTap ™ app provides an intuitive wireless interface “for easy configuration and quick access to level information, statuses, and settings.
Endress+Hauser Soliphant® FTM20 vibration rod point level switches detect fine- or coarse-grained, non-fluidized bulk solids in silos, hoppers, and bins. They can even detect solids underwater, such as sediment buildup in a tank. by environmental
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Pressure sensors measure pressure at a specific point in the process and transmit the measured value or trip point to a control device.
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• Digital temperature switches/transmitters
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Flow measurement devices monitor liquid media and provide reliable flow indication, detection, or measurement.
At the recent National Fluid Power Association’s Annual Conference in Tucson, brothers Alex and Eugene Chausovsky of the New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy spoke about geopolitical disruption and what it can mean for manufacturers. They highlighted how today we have a multipolarity in the world, with global powers (the U.S. and China), global players (the EU and Russia), and regional swing players ( think India, Japan, Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Brazil) that are influential in their respective neighborhoods. Additionally, we now also must contend with non-aligned and non-state actors — in today’s world, we have some companies that boast larger revenues than the GDPs of entire countries.
The other geopolitical theme that manufacturers must face in 2025 is connectivity. That involves trade (deglobalization, supply chain evolution, reshoring), technology (such as AI), energy/climate (with a lot of changes in the U.S., as well as massive weather events around the world), and internal polarization (such as what we’ve seen in the U.S. and other countries, with misinformation and alternative nontraditional parties).
Here are some of the brothers’ other thoughts for the coming years:
• Hotspots will continue to be the Ukraine-Russian war, the Middle
East (Israel-Hamas), and potentially a U.S.-China Indo-Pacific conflict involving Taiwan and possibly South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia. There’s also always the chance of disease outbreaks and migration issues related to climate change.
• They see no change in the dollar remaining the global reserve currency anytime soon. However, they noted that “thinking that we’re going back to 2% inflation is a fool’s game.”
• The Trump Administration’s policy proposals will result in U.S. debt as a percentage of GDP rising above the current law’s 125% allowance by 2035 to roughly 143% (with a low-end figure of 129% and a highend figure of 161%). They did note that most of the debt is not held by foreign countries but by savings bond holders, intragovernmental debt, mutual funds, the federal reserve system, etc.
• Businesses worried about tariffs can look into using the first sale rule, bonded warehouses, and temporary import bonds (TIB), as well as strategic sourcing, country of origin adjustments, and product exclusion requests. DW
Paul J. Heney - VP, Editorial Director pheney@wtwhmedia.com
On X (formerly Twitter) @wtwh_paulheney
The modern warehouse depends on the seamless data flow across various systems. Here’s how to make it happen.
Single-axis linear motion stages give engineers a range of choices when designing linear motion systems.
Are you protecting against ESD damage?
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can be a costly issue for businesses. Damage to devices alone can add up financially, and when you consider associated costs... the overall impact can be significant.
Sensors are famously integral to both electric motors and self-driving vehicles. But these are just two of the many areas where sensors are used in modern vehicles. Here, we explore the unsung heroes of automotive sensor applications.
Should
Off-the-shelf bearings have their place, but sometimes you need a more tailored approach. Here’s how to tell the difference.
These companies represent the best and brightest, and they reflect the continued
and
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Direct-drive linear motor stages are used in precision motion applications, such as semiconductor fabrication, where high speed and frictionless motion are important. They have no belts, screws, gears, or other mechnical transmission components, so there’s no backlash and significantly less maintenance required.
IKO recently announced its new LT170H2 direct-drive linear motor stage for semiconductor applications that require high thrust forces and long strokes. This new model in the LT family of linear motor stages delivers a rated force of 260 N with a maximum of 500 N, exceeding the thrust ratings of previous LT stages and making it suitable for more applications, particularly for positioning heavy objects in confined areas.
Its redesigned linear motor uses direct-drive technology, eliminating mechanical components that would otherwise reduce accuracy. It achieves high speeds up to 3,000 mm/ sec, long strokes up to 2,750 mm, and repeatable speeds due to its low-cogging motor design. It also includes C-Lube linear bearings for guidance, enabling higher thrust forces, faster speeds, and precise positioning.
The LT170H2 reduces cycle times compared to the previous positioning table. It is compact with a 170-mm width and consumes approximately 48% less power than its predecessor due to its high thrust rating.
In addition to semiconductor fabrication applications, the new direct-drive linear motion stage is well-suited for measuring instruments, assembly systems, and material handling machinery. DW
• www.ikont.com
WHITTET-HIGGINS manufactures quality oriented, stocks abundantly and delivers quickly the best quality and largest array of adjustable, heavy thrust bearing, and torque load carrying retaining devices for bearing, power transmission and other industrial assemblies; and specialized tools for their careful assembly.
Visit our website–whittet-higgins.com–to peruse the many possibilities to improve your assemblies. Much technical detail delineated as well as 2D and 3D CAD models for engineering assistance. Call your local or a good distributor.
In late 2023, the Portuguese Navy awarded West Sea Shipyard to build six modernized Viana do Casteloclass offshore patrol vessels (OPVs), planned to be delivered between 2027 and 2030. These vessels will include systems that provide mission support, surveillance, reconnaissance, among other operations, and will carry various uncrewed vehicles. ABB will equip these new vessels with an integrated power, propulsion, and automation system, including an Azipod propulsion system, Onboard DC Grid power system platform, and the ABB Ability System 800xA distributed control system, to help reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
Azipod is a gearless, steerable propulsion system in which the electric drive motor is housed within a pod outside the ship’s hull, allowing the unit to rotate 360°. It increases the maneuverability and operating
efficiency of vessels, which helps cut fuel consumption compared with conventional shaft line systems.
The Onboard DC Grid is a modular and compact power system platform that enables weight and space reductions. It facilitates the integration of variable speed generators, energy storage systems, and new energy sources to future-proof vessels for changing requirements. It also optimizes power usage to decrease fuel consumption and emissions and is highly configurable to support a range of applications.
The ABB Ability System 800xA is an automation solution designed for marine vessel safety and efficiency. It integrates various systems and equipment on board with a single-user environment and single-screen interface for the crew to access all necessary information.
ABB will also supply its power and energy management system, PEMS. Combined with the Onboard DC Grid,
this forms the core of a vessel’s power and control system and enables power resource optimization in a safe, energyefficient, and environmentally friendly manner.
In addition to the Portuguese Navy, ABB is growing its presence in the German, Spanish, Dutch, and Belgian naval markets, and for the Canadian Coast Guard and Finnish Border Guard. The company also supports offshore construction, wind power, and accommodation vessels, along with ice-breaking, passenger, and cargo vessels as part of the maritime industry’s effort to reduce emissions and achieve sustainability goals.
Last year, Chile’s Astilleros y Servicios Navales (ASENAV) selected the Azipod propulsion system for Antarctica21’s newbuild boutique expedition ship, Magellan Discoverer, due for delivery in 2026. This will be the first hybrid-electric polar cruise ship featuring Azipod built
in the Americas and operating in the Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia, and the Falkland Islands.
ABB is also supplying its Azipod, Onboard DC Grid, and PEMS solutions to NKT’s latest highly advanced cable layer vessel. In 2017, the NKT Victoria won an award for its fuel efficiency, energy optimization, and real-time, data-driven decisionmaking capabilities. Scheduled to enter operations in 2027, the new 176-meter-long NKT Eleonora will have a cable-laying capacity of 23,000 metric tons to serve growing demand for subsea cable installation.
NKT Eleonora will have three 3,500 kW Azipod units for
maximum maneuverability and thrust, and the PEMS for optimizing total energy use. The combined power and propulsion solution will improve dynamic positioning (DP) performance to support safe and efficient cable-laying operations.
NKT Eleonora will also include several of ABB’s Ability digital solutions for monitoring, forecasting, remote diagnostics, condition-based maintenance, and cybersecurity. DW
Adopting new fuel types or energysaving devices can significantly enhance emissions reduction and fuel efficiency. However, existing ships were not originally designed to accommodate such technologies or fuels, limiting the potential for maximum savings. To fully leverage these advances, new ships must be purpose-built to integrate these technologies from the outset.
Siemens Digital Industries Software is collaborating with Compute Maritime to improve ship design and simulation and push the boundaries of generative AI in the industry. The project focuses on connecting Compute Maritime’s flagship platform for vessel design and optimization, NeuralShipper, with Siemens’ Simcenter STAR-CCM+
software for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and results validation. Optimizing vessel performance during the design stage is critical. NeuralShipper serves as a digital naval architect, empowering human naval architects in the preliminary design phase. It rapidly generates hundreds of design options within minutes, enabling teams to significantly expedite concept development and quickly proceed to the detailed design phase. Simcenter STAR-CCM+ then enables designers to automate simulation processes and accurately model the complexities of ship behaviors.
According to Dmitry Ponkratov, marine director of Simulation and Test Solutions at Siemens Digital
Industries Software, “The combination of NeuralShipper and Simcenter STAR-CCM+ aims to redefine how multidisciplinary design optimization is performed. It enables the creation of novel vessel types and demonstrates how designers can automate simulation processes and predict real-world performance, even for the most unconventional designs.” DW
www.siemens.com/software
Absolute multi-turn positioning is preferred for applications that require precise position tracking over large rotational distances, such as in packaging machines, material handling, machine tool positioning, satellite tracking, and many others. Kollmorgen’s new SFD-M (Smart Feedback Device, Multi-Turn) encoder allows machine builders to achieve high-resolution multiturn feedback with absolute positioning information available at system startup.
The SFD-M measures the position of the rotor shaft throughout each 360º rotation without requiring reference to a home position, and it registers the total number of rotations the shaft has made in either direction. It maintains absolute positioning information in real time even when the system is powered down, eliminating the need for time-consuming homing sequences upon startup.
This encoder offers four times greater positioning accuracy and 50 times lower EMF noise than earlier models. It features 24-bit resolution, which translates to 16,777,216 incremental
counts per revolution or 0.0772 arcseconds per count. It also uses energyharvesting technology to track absolute multi-turn positioning whether the system is powered on or off.
Absolute multi-turn encoders often require a battery to retain positioning information when the system is powered down or during a power failure. These external batteries require replacement and can be subject to failure. Other alternatives use mechanical gear trains, which are noisy and backlashprone and add size to the motor. The SFD-M’s energy-harvesting technology eliminates such issues and maintains positioning information without batteries or gear trains. Battery-free operation also eliminates maintenance issues and reduces natural resource consumption and waste.
The encoder is designed to work with AKD and AKD2G drives and can be
integrated into Kollmorgen housed servo motors at no additional cost compared to single-turn encoders. According to Chris Cooper, Kollmorgen’s senior director of Global Product Management, that could save hundreds of dollars per motor and potentially several thousands of dollars in a complex, multi-axis machine. Its single motor-to-drive cable technology with auto drive setup further lowers total costs. DW
Kollmorgen www.kollmorgen.com
Rapidly changing demands in the packaging, material handling, and logistics industries require machine builders to innovate, optimize, save space, and reduce energy consumption. According to Antonio Di Vaira, SVP of Power Products at Schneider Electric’s NAM Hub, “It’s all about pairing advanced digital capabilities with operational simplicity, making their work easier and more efficient.”
Schneider Electric recently launched TeSys Deca Advanced, a contactor solution for motor management in the era of Industry 4.0, at ProMat 2025 in Chicago. It’s designed with a streamlined wiring system and digital capabilities for a range of industrial applications. Its wide-band coil technology can accept control voltage inputs from 24 to 500 V ac/dc and withstand
voltage fluctuations. This minimizes energy consumption and, in turn, reduces CO2 emissions and operational costs.
TeSys Deca Advanced aims to simplify installation and maintenance processes with an ergonomic three-layer setup that organizes wiring for visibility and accessibility. Its one-click connection allows for rapid deployment, and the wide-band coil technology can help reduce complexity in selection and inventory management.
The solution has undergone rigorous testing to ensure optimal performance, and its 100 kA short-circuit current rating with circuit breakers provides flexibility for machine builders. It is designed to improve operational efficiency across sectors beyond packaging, including manufacturing, HVAC, and industrial facilities. DW
Schneider Electric www.se.com
Innovative Interconnect solutions from BAYCABLE can transform the way our customers deliver care. Turn design challenges into next-generation, market-leading medical devices with our extensive manufacturing capabilities and engineering expertise.
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Pharmaceutical and cleanroom applications require contamination-free motion solutions to ensure product safety and regulatory compliance. Sew-Eurodrive recently introduced its WES Series stainless steel gear unit, a compact, hygienic drive solution that is corrosion-resistant, easy to clean, and rated for high-pressure washdowns in pharmaceutical, cleanroom, food, beverage, and other hygienic applications.
compared to worm gear units. It runs cool even under continuous operation, eliminating burn hazards and ensuring worker and product safety.
The unit has no cooling fan and, therefore, no hygiene risk due to particle contamination and accumulation. Its smooth surface also prevents bacteria buildup and is rated for aggressive cleaning agents and washdown environments. Its high-efficiency gearing and lubrication systems are designed to extend its service life, and its lightweight, compact design helps OEMs integrate the unit into production lines. In addition to pharmaceutical applications, the WES
Series can be integrated into bottling, packaging, and conveyor systems. Alongside the WES Series with the Spiroplan right-angle gear unit, SewEurodrive also has a RES Series helical gear unit in a flange-mounted design and a KES Series helical-bevel gear unit, all designed largely in accordance with the European Hygienic Engineering Design Group (EHEDG) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines. DW
The WES Series integrates the company’s Spiroplan right-angle gearing, which minimizes friction for smooth operation without excessive heat buildup Sew-Eurodrive www.seweurodrive.com
• EDITED BY MIKE SANTORA
This plug-and-play paint automation solution incorporates industrial-grade intelligent devices and industry-standard communication technologies to streamline OEM development of advanced painting and coating robotics systems.
Whether applying the color and clear coats to an automobile or laying down powder coat material used to create a durable equipment protection layer, robotic application systems are a preferred way to efficiently produce quality finishes on a high-performance, mass production basis. But to make these systems work well, robotic painting OEMs must marry two different and uniquely complex technologies — motion control and paint application — to create an orchestrated solution that is artistic and technically proficient.
The paint application portion of this equipment carries a specific and unique set of challenges associated with the pressure and flow of the atomizing air, which must be carefully controlled to avoid overspray, waste, and other undesirable conditions. To avoid reinventing the wheel, robotic painting OEMs are keen to find packaged solutions offering proven performance for paint application to speed their development cycles and allow them to focus on the already complex motion control tasks associated with robot and part handling.
Incorporating a complete packaged paint application automation solution is one way these OEMs can simplify their design efforts and obtain highquality results. Even better, when these packaged solutions are based on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) elements, designers find other benefits, including compact footprints, extensive instrumentation for monitoring operational characteristics, and industrystandard communications connectivity to
FIGURE 1: Architected with valves, instrumentation, controllers, and other products from the company’s expansive portfolio, this Emerson paint automation solution accelerates OEM efforts to bring high-performance and data-rich painting robots to market.
transmit the information from floor to cloud (Figure 1).
Painting is dogged by several challenges, some obvious and some less so. Applying the material in just the right amount to result in an optimal finish, while avoiding overspray, is perhaps the most basic attribute of an effective painting system. Some equipment designers might be tempted to err on the side of delivering too much material to ensure the target part is sufficiently coated, but paint costs money, and some esoteric materials are very expensive.
Overspray is more than just an issue of getting some paint on a part where it is unwanted. Much of the overspray settles out in the painting area, generating what is sometimes called paint sludge. This paint sludge is an environmental issue, and there can be significant costs associated with removing and properly disposing it. Some estimates based on past projects indicate that 20% to 30% of paint is lost to overspray, and this can be a major issue, for example with painting all parts of a car, which can result in over 3kg of paint sludge per vehicle. Extrapolating this out with sludge treatment costs of over $300 per ton means that worldwide, this one industry may be paying over $100 million to address the issue.
Another consideration for optimizing the paint application process is efficiently managing compressed air usage and quality. Generating, drying, and filtering the volume of compressed air required for painting operations requires significant energy, so minimizing air usage provides immediate and ongoing savings.
Paint spraying involves much more than pushing the material out through a nozzle. Modern systems
may use combinations of turbines, needle valves, and atomizer devices. Many automated styles use dual shaping air, with an “inner” shaping airflow that propels the paint and an “outer” shaping air flow acting as a guide to promote a tighter pattern. These pressure blends may need to be changed dynamically during operation, such as when transfering material into a corner, or to overcome electrostatic effects.
The primary way to overcome these and other challenges is to closely monitor and control the spraying air flow, pressure, and quality of multiple flow streams concurrently — not only with high accuracy, but also with fast response times. This naturally requires integrating a range of digital instrumentation, control valves, and sensors.
• Some of the major components and features include:
• Air preparation with a filter/ regulator
• Dew point sensor
• Flow/pressure sensor
• Dual-coil proportional valve for flow control
• Modular solenoid valve and input/ output (I/O) assemblies
• Locally integrated closed-loop control for these devices
Some of these components, such as the air preparation and dew point sensor, can be in a common area off-board the robot. However, for best control purposes, many of the devices need to be suitable for mounting right on the robot itself, where space is limited, and weight carries a high penalty. Excessive weight constrains the robot movement performance or, in the worst case, demands upsizing the robot design at significant cost. The technical skill and timeline
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required to choose from various component options, specify the best-fit devices, parameterize the valves, and then integrate and test the result is intimidating to say the least. Additionally, the design team must be familiar with the mechanical aspects, electrical/ controls, and the nuances of paint handling.
For these and other reasons, a packaged solution addressing all these requirements in a modern and standardized manner would be welcomed by any paint application robot design team.
Recognizing these needs in this large and elite market space, one manufacturer has developed a packaged paint automation solution excelllent for accelerating design efforts, maximizing performance, and minimizing the total overall cost.
The solution incorporates several high-performance components preassembled on a backpanel using a plug-and-play concept. Devices include a modular pneumatic solenoid manifold and I/O platform with the ability to
control up to three airflow streams using dual-coil proportional valves, each with a dedicated flow sensor. As part of the solution, a filter/regulator, dew point sensor, and overall air flow sensor are offered for upstream usage to supply one or more systems.
Many thoughtful design features are incorporated into this solution to enhance its performance in various paint automation applications:
• Lightweight and compact valve bodies: The solenoid and I/O manifold components incorporate durable polymers where possible to reduce weight. All valve devices are engineered with minimized footprints.
• Smart proportional valves: The dual-coil valves consume no air, and they operate with an exceptionally fast response time of just 80ms. With patent-pending self-control adaptation, they incorporate onboard PID control for closed-loop control in concert with a flow sensor, and they are pre-programmed for this paint spray application. They can be dynamically commanded to achieve the necessary flow rates on
the fly during painting operations.
• Floor to cloud connectivity: The proportional valves are available to support standard industrial communications protocols, including EtherCAT and PROFINET. Dew point sensors connect using standard Modbus TCP PoE, while the flow sensors use 4-20mA. This connectivity provides the bandwidth and responsiveness essential for reporting operational and diagnostic data up to the host system, and for flow commands to be sent to the paint automation solution.
Some individual products available on the market might be technically capable of approaching the necessary performance, and others might be sufficiently small to fit onto a robot. However, this solution is specifically engineered and pre-packaged based on robust components to deliver the necessary operational performance and long life, even in such a heavily used and always-in-motion application (Figure 2).
2: The Emerson paint automation solution delivers plugand-play high-performance, using robust devices and applicationspecific tuning in a form factor optimized for the unique installation needs on board an industrial robot. Emerson • emerson.com
Key differentiators for this paint automation solution include the deep integration of all intelligent components, and the seamless connectivity they provide to higher-level systems. The entire assembly reports up to PLCs or other types of edge controllers for providing complete control, and it interacts with HMI/SCADA systems for clear visibility. Regardless of how small or how large a painting robot OEM is, the design team will gain ready access to world-class technologies by incorporating this paint automation solution into their paint robot systems. DW
EDITED BY MIKE SANTORA •
The MagnaShear motor brake from Force Control Industries employ oil shear technology which transmits torque between lubricated surfaces — thereby eliminating the heat buildup of dry brakes which is a significant source of conveyor fires. A patented fluid recirculation system dissipates the heat and keeps these proven brakes running cool.
Totally enclosed MagnaShear brakes are impervious to moisture, dirt, and dust — further enhancing their safety. In addition to being safer, oil shear technology eliminates wear on friction surfaces, significantly increasing service life and virtually eliminating adjustment in demanding mining and bulk material handling applications. In addition to
conveyors, MagnaShear motor brakes are suitable for applications where the motor is reversed each cycle such as loader/unloader conveyors, as well as cranes, winches, and hoists, rail car spotters and dumpers, rotary samplers, trippers, and pallet return conveyors.
The oil shear technology also provides a smooth “cushioned” stop which reduces shock to the drive system, further extending service life of downstream components.
Unlike dry brakes, oil shear technology includes a layer of automatic transmission fluid between the brake disc and the drive plate. As the fluid is compressed, the fluid molecules shear
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— thus imparting torque to the other side. This torque transmission causes the stationary surface to turn, bringing it up to the same relative speed as the moving surface. Since most of the work is done by the fluid particles in shear, wear is virtually eliminated. Elimination of wear also eliminates the need for adjustments which are common for dry braking systems.
In addition to transmitting torque, a patented fluid recirculation system helps to dissipate heat which is the major problem with traditional dry brakes. Along with heat removal and torque transmission, the fluid serves to continually lubricate all components of the oil shear brake, elongating its service life. MagnaShear brakes with oil shear technology provide significantly
longer service life, characterized by virtually maintenance-free operations.
These proven motor brakes are available to accommodate a wide range of applications. Spring set torque ratings from 3 to 1250 ft-lb are available. MagnaShear motor brakes can be sized to the correct torque independent of the motor frame size or horsepower.
MagnaShear motor brakes feature “quick mount” features for quick and easy mounting to drive motors in NEMA frame sizes 56 to 449. They are shipped ready to install, with no assembly or adjustments required. They are also available pre-mounted on a motor for severe duty applications. MagnaShear
motor brakes can be furnished to fit a NEMA or IEC frame motor, as a complete motor and brake assembly, or to mount on a machine frame or other special mounting configuration. These proven motor brakes are totally enclosed from outside contaminants, with seal integrity for harsh and washdown environments. A modular design/assembly allows for ease of servicing and maintenance. DW
• EDITED BY MIKE SANTORA
Empowering cryotherapy with seamless monitoring, diagnostics, and predictive insights.
The cryotherapy industry has seen rapid growth, becoming a staple in health and wellness spas, fitness centers, and medical practices. Cryotherapy uses extremely cold temperatures to reduce pain, decrease inflammation, and accelerate recovery, making it a popular choice for healing and overall well-being.
Cryotherapy has attracted a wide range of users, from athletes seeking faster recovery to individuals managing
injuries, chronic pain, or pursuing general wellness.
As demand for cryotherapy expands, the challenge of designing reliable, easy-to-maintain systems has become increasingly important.
Traditional cryotherapy chambers have long relied on liquid nitrogen for cooling — a method that, while effective, comes with significant drawbacks. Liquid
nitrogen (LN2) systems are expensive to operate, challenging to manage, and pose safety risks because they require ultra-cold substances and proper ventilation.
To avoid these problems, CryoPhit USA of Spring Valley, CA specializes in cryotherapy chambers that use electric cooling systems, offering a safer, more reliable, and easier-to-maintain alternative. But these systems come with their own complications.
“Our biggest challenge was solving the complexity of cryotherapy systems — these are specialized refrigeration systems that very few technicians know how to maintain or repair,” said CryoPhit USA co-founder John Grettenberger.
“We needed a solution that could do more than just control and schedule events: it had to provide real-time data, predictive diagnostics, and remote access,” continued Grettenberger. All this functionality also needed to play well with their app, HawkEye.
CryoPhit USA combines a modern vision with over 35 years of industrial refrigeration expertise. Founded by brothers John and William Grettenberger, the company designs, builds, and sells cryotherapy systems to health and wellness facilities, offering both direct sales and ongoing service packages.
CryoPhit USA set out to design systems that are easy to use, maintain, and service, ensuring accessibility for end users, operators, and refrigeration technicians. To support long-term reliability, the company offers remote diagnostics and support plans, helping operators keep their systems running smoothly in high-demand environments.
“Traditional systems like standard PLCs are overly complex and expensive,” Grettenberger explained. “You’re dealing with multiple layers, costly hardware, VPN setups, and extra software that make scalability a challenge. They charge so much for hardware and software, and I just don’t get it.”
With affordability, product support, and ease of use at the forefront of their decision-making process, CryoPhit USA needed a solution that avoided unnecessary complexity while delivering reliable performance.
TOP: End-user UI on a CryoPhit USA cryochamber.
BOTTOM: Operator UI on a CryoPhit USA cryochamber.
In his 35+ years in industrial refrigeration, Grettenberger has tried products from various manufacturers.
“I was introduced to Opto 22 first with SSRs [Solid State Relays], then the SNAP PAC system, which is an industry standard for freeze dryers, but I hadn’t seen groov RIO,” said Grettenberger. “It looked perfect.”
groov RIO, Opto 22’s compact industrial edge device, has 10 softwareconfigurable I/O channels, allowing flexible control and monitoring without the need for additional modules.
Reviewing the system’s I/O requirements, Grettenberger determined that it would take two groov RIOs to provide all the inputs and outputs required to control their chambers:
• 8 thermocouples to monitor various refrigeration and environmental temperatures
• 5 pressure transducers to monitor health of refrigeration equipment
• 2 relay outputs to activate freeze and defrost functions
• 1 analog output to vary the speed of a fan that circulates cold air to maintain the -80 °C cryotherapy environment.
And after a feasibility consultation with their software developer, the team decided to move forward with the dual groov RIO design. At a price of under $1,000 per device, CryoPhit USA was able to develop and launch their entire control system on these rugged, compact, industrial edge devices.
CryoPhit USA has made extensive use of Node-RED — a flowchartbased tool for IIoT processes and data integration, included with groov RIO — for handling various parts of their operation:
Equipment monitoring — groov I/O input nodes track temperatures and pressures of the refrigeration system to ensure optimal performance.
Machine control — groov I/O write nodes activate outputs that control the chamber’s temperature and operation settings in real time.
Communication to energy monitor — Node-RED interfaces with a three-phase power monitor that tracks all electrical phases, allowing operators to monitor kilowatt usage, calculate power costs over time, and generate detailed reports.
App integration — using an MQTT publish/subscribe topology, the groov RIOs publish data to AWS (Amazon Web Services) for integration with custom iOS and Android apps, developed by CryoPhit USA’s software developer.
Historical data logging — a Microsoft SQL Server on the AWS cloud computing platform stores operational and performance data long-term.
As CryoPhit USA develops new, potentially larger and more complex
systems, the scalability features of groov allow for easy expansion.
“If we need more I/O, we can just add another RIO module, giving us 10 more points. It’s efficient, adaptable, and fits our model perfectly,” said Grettenberger.
While CryoPhit USA achieved several key advances with its electric cryotherapy systems, the most significant result has been the ability to diagnose 80% of issues remotely. This capability has addressed one of the cryotherapy industry’s biggest challenges: maintaining specialized refrigeration systems with minimal downtime.
A system once reliant on reactive troubleshooting now uses real-time monitoring and predictive diagnostics to prevent failures before they occur. CryoPhit USA's cryotherapy chambers
minimize the need for on-site service visits, saving operators time and money. Custom linear regression models improve failure prevention, predicting potential issues up to two weeks in advance, minimizing downtime and ensuring continuous operation — essential for operators whose revenue depends on uptime.
In addition to diagnostics, CryoPhit USA has delivered other impactful results:
• Energy management — Built-in tools track power usage, calculate costs per session, and generate detailed reports, providing operators with clear data on energy expenses.
• Scalable design — The modular nature of groov RIO allows systems to grow with customer needs, enabling easy expansion without requiring costly overhauls.
• Enhanced operator experience
— Features like remote-start capabilities give operators full control from anywhere, ensuring chambers are ready to use before they arrive.
• Enhanced user experience — Users can also customize lighting and music before they begin their session, creating a personalized and immersive experience.
CryoPhit USA has turned complex cryotherapy operations into a userfriendly, streamlined, data-driven process that maximizes uptime and makes daily management simpler and more efficient.
CryoPhit USA remains committed to delivering reliable, straightforward cryotherapy systems, with no major changes planned for its product line.
Meanwhile, the Grettenbergers are expanding into industries with similar demands. As principals of TriplePoint Services, Inc., they design, manufacture, and service ultra-low temperature refrigeration equipment.
One promising opportunity lies in pharmaceutical cold storage, where compliance with CFR 21 Part 11 requirements for secure and traceable data is critical. Using the same hardware and software framework as their cryotherapy systems — groov RIO, Node-RED, and AWS — they are developing new solutions under TriplePoint Services, Inc. DW Opto 22 opto22.com
• EDITED BY MIKE SANTORA
Vesconite Hilube bushings have proven their durability by operating for 20 years without noticeable wear on a restored 1950 4-seater Morgan Series 1. This achievement is according to Anthony Browne, who meticulously restored his Morgan between 2000 and 2005, including the installation of Vesconite Hilube kingpin bushings and rear sliding spring bearings.
During the comprehensive restoration, Browne installed Vesconite
Hilube kingpin bushings with standard kingpins on the front suspension and replaced the original, pitted rear sliding spring bearings with Vesconite Hilube. Browne remarked on the extensive nature of the restoration: "The car was completely restored between 2000 and 2005. No item was overlooked, not even nuts and bolts, screws, toggles, etc. Everything was repaired, replaced, or rebuilt. New reinforced chassis, new woodwork, new suspension.”
Browne's Morgan, though equipped with non-original mechanicals such as a GT Ford Cortina 1.5-litre balanced engine, a 5-speed Ford Sierra gearbox, a Triumph TR3 differential and rear, wire wheels, and front disc brakes, benefited from the bushings, particularly on the front suspension on which the bottom bushing often exhibits noticeable wear when phosphor bronze is used.
"The low wear rate and selflubrication are the advantages.
Phosphor bronze is the standard and lubrication is needed regularly, usually between regular services. Vesconite Hilube is a very suitable material in this application. The Morgan front suspension has a long kingpin where the sliding stub axle travels up and down, friction plays an important role and any wear results in a clear disadvantage with loose wheels, poor alignment, vibration, etc.," Browne explained.
Browne's advocacy for Vesconite Hilube led him to write a paper titled "Morgan Front Suspension Bushes — Experiences and Testing of Vesconite Hilube," published in January 2008 for the Morgan Owners Club in Australia. The paper presented test results comparing Vesconite Hilube bushings with traditional phosphor bronze bushings on two vehicles. The findings revealed that bronze bushings exhibited ten times more wear than Vesconite Hilube on the bottom bushings, despite the vehicle with bronze running fewer miles during the test.
New factory stock mild steel kingpins, factory bronze bushings, CR lip seal on the bottom bush and new wheel bearings were installed.
New factory hard chromed kingpins and cylindrical ground, new wheel bearings, and bushings made from Vesconite Hilube bar stock. CR lip seal was also installed on the bottom of the lower bushing.
At the time of the 2008 report, Browne noted, “Vesconite Hilube is more expensive than nylon or bronze but should last a hell of a lot longer.
I hesitate to suggest a limit, but if the bushings are greased and foreign material is kept out from between the bushing and kingpin, the bushings could last indefinitely and not need replacement for the life of the car.”
Browne’s 1950 Morgan Series 1 underscores the longevity of the bushings. He notes that he has the original Vesconite Hilube bushings on his vehicle, which is used regularly for short runs but has also been used for two longer year-apart stints on a return journey between Melbourne and Brisbane.
Vesconite Hilube’s performance on Browne’s Morgan and the documented test results underline its durability and suitability for automotive applications, offering a reliable and long-lasting alternative to traditional materials. DW
Vesconite vesconite.com
Car 1 - 1969 4/4, 4 Seater with Phosphor Bronze Bushings
Wear After 12,478 miles (20,081 km)
Wear (inches) Left Right Kingpins (bottoms only)
Bushing - Top
Bushing - Bottom
*Honing marks on the top bushings were polished off by usage.
Car 2 - 1958 +4, 4 Seater with Vesconite Hilube Bushings
Wear After 15,569 miles (25,056 km)
Wear (inches) Left Right Kingpins (bottoms only)
Bushing - Top
Bushing - Bottom
*Top bushings still showed honing marks, no signs of wear.
**Chrome plate worn through in a 5/16-in. diameter patch. Tests showed the plating was thin at this point. Hard chrome plate was measured showing an average on the length of only 0.001-in. thickness.
• BY SCOTT ELIASON • VITRONIC
For optimum fulfillment performance, e-commerce operators must capture dimensions, weight, condition, labels, codes, markings, photos, and 3D images; and they must also have the flexibility to easily process captured data within the framework of their specific WMS and ERP requirements.
According to a 2024 report from researcher Statista, the U.S. e-commerce market is projected to gross $1,223 billion (USD) in 2024, up 14.8% from 2023. This trend is expected to continue — by 2029 U.S. e-commerce revenue is forecast to reach $1,881 billion.
As e-commerce continues its rapid growth into virtually every market sector, retailers are anxious to expand their presence online to capture this market share. From the moment the online order is placed, to when it is picked, packed, shipped, and delivered, every step in the process must be handled efficiently, consistently, and cost-effectively.
Fulfillment is a critical aspect of the customer experience. Simply delivering the goods is no longer an adequate mission for the fulfillment center. The typical e-commerce consumer expects a wide selection of SKU offerings, order accuracy, quick delivery, and no-hassle returns.
A growing number of e-commerce operations are faced with the challenge of scaling up their receiving, storage, picking, packing, shipping, and returns handling processes to meet
e-commerce consumers’ expectations. Traditional replenishment for brick-andmortar retailers involves the movement and storage of unit loads and multi-SKU split pallets, which is inadequate for the needs of e-commerce fulfillment that requires each-picks, small-order fulfillment, and system scalability.
Added to continual SKU proliferation and seasonal product fluctuations, online retailers need to support both fast-moving SKUs and slow-moving items. Out-of-stock items can lead to late deliveries, loss of sales, and lower customer satisfaction. Online retailers need to closely assess their customer
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expectations against their fulfillment capabilities to remain competitive and profitable.
A successful e-commerce fulfillment implementation requires carefully planned processes, scalable operations, and highly efficient systems to address its inherent obstacles.
Automation and automated data capture
To compete in this highly competitive online retail arena and address its challenges, e-commerce fulfillment operations are increasingly turning to automation.
Increases in production volume, the need for improved accuracy, and the desire to reduce labor requirements are often the key drivers that initiate the move to an automated fulfillment system. Automation can be used to increase the number of orders that can be processed per hour, enable quicker on-time deliveries, improve order accuracy, reduce labor requirements, and enhance worker safety. As order volumes increase, automation is essential for e-commerce operations to meet consumer expectations for fast, low-cost deliveries.
Digital data capture is fundamental to success in automated fulfillment. The complex dynamics of e-commerce fulfillment has created a need for the precise detection, dimensioning, and tracking of every SKU, item, and package through receiving, storage, pick/pack/ship, and return processes.
Most e-commerce fulfillment operations scan their inventory and outgoing orders manually, sending information through the company’s warehouse management system (WMS) and then to its enterprise resource planning (ERP) and shipping carriers. Manual hand scanning of incoming inventory, inspection of returns, and other e-commerce fulfillment processes
can be time consuming and inherently prone to human error, made worse by labor shortages and high turnover.
To achieve faster and more accurate order processing, e-commerce retailers have progressed to automated data capture systems, which also have the capability to permit greater visibility to what inventory is in-stock, in-transit, and on-order, and can track inventory and orders throughout the entire distribution network.
As material flows through the warehouse for fulfillment, it is identified, weighed, dimensioned, inspected for quality, and its location is tracked. That data holds tremendous value, as it provides a detailed record of every process from end-to-end. It can identify processes that are operating well and ones that can be improved, and it can also identify defects and prevent those items from reaching customers.
But not all automated data capture systems provide comparable levels of performance when it comes to the comprehensiveness of information they can capture, and the flexibility to customintegrate with various WMS and ERP platforms.
Recent advances in automated data capture have enabled a more universal
and integrated approach in support of e-commerce fulfillment by deploying sophisticated automated detection, dimensioning and traceability solutions — data capturing systems encompassing receiving, storage, picking, sorting, packing, and returns processing. Center-stage in this data capture evolution are automated point solutions. These discrete systems can be positioned within existing fulfillment processes to deliver a heightened level
of automated data capturing, while providing system flexibility and universal connectivity. These automated point solutions are applicable for e-commerce operations looking to switch from manual to automated fulfillment and already automated e-commerce centers desiring an increased capability of data capture and management.
The latest generation of enhanced data capturing systems allow faster unloading and sorting, quicker allocation of goods for pick/pack/ship, and more efficient handling of e-commerce returns.
Optimizing data capture for e-commerce operations switching from manual to automated fulfillment
For e-commerce companies struggling to secure funding to begin fulfillment automation, it is important to carefully evaluate which technologies best suit
their specific needs. It makes sense to proceed in stages, automating the processes that promise the highest or quickest return on investment.
The transition can be challenging for small e-commerce retailers that have been totally dependent on manual processing of their incoming SKUs, picking, shipping, and returns.
Employees must be trained on the operation of the new systems, and new skillsets may be necessary. However, there are all-in-one scanning and sorting systems with easy-to-use software that integrates seamlessly with WMS, that makes the transition easier for companies and employees alike. With these scalable and flexible systems that can adapt to future growth, tasks shift from repetitive, manual tasks to monitoring and controlling the automation systems and software.
An excellent example of a newgeneration data capture and package
sortation system specifically designed for e-commerce fulfillment companies,is VIPAC Smalls-Sort sorter from VITRONIC Machine Vision.
VIPAC Smalls-Sort is a fully automated, all-in-one smart sorting and data capture system for e-commerce fulfillment’s smaller SKUs and packages. Its modular and flexible configuration encompassing infeed, dimensioning, weighing, and scanning (DWS), outfeed and sorting, makes it an all-in-one auto-ID, data capture and fulfillment solution for e-commerce operations transitioning from manual to automated fulfillment. The system can also function as a subsystem of a larger fulfillment operation, depending on the e-commerce center’s needs.
Supporting the immense amount of data capture is an easy and intuitive software with a graphical user interface delivering in-depth options for data access and throughput statistics.
Automated data capture supports rapid and efficient processing of e-commerce orders.
As goods and packages transition between stages in the e-commerce supply chain, their identification, quantity, physical attributes, and other data must be verified to support traceability, and compatibility with material handling equipment, storage, and transport systems.
Distribution includes movement of goods and packages within the four walls of e-commerce fulfillment operations, where incoming goods from distribution centers and suppliers, picking and shipping, and handling returns from customers must be able to be tracked, prepared error-free, and delivered on time. This capability is enabled by auto-ID and data capture systems.
As good as these systems are, the latest evolution of auto-ID and data capture technologies designed for highvolume e-commerce fulfillment centers combine a more comprehensive suite of information recording. For example, scanning, imaging, and recording up to six sides.
One of the most technologically advanced auto-ID and data capture systems designed for large e-commerce
fulfillment centers is VIPAC InMotion, from VITRONIC. The system automatically captures all information on all labels. That includes all codes and plain text, even if they are damaged, behind film or difficult to read. It can generate real-time images of each pallet, carton and shipment, and archive the images together with the captured data.
The VIPAC In-Motion can process up to 25,000 units per hour (pieces, bags, SKUs, or packages), recording the following information:
• 1D/2D/3D bar code data on multiple labels simultaneously and up to all six sides of an object
• Weight of goods, packages, and bags
• Package dimensions as small as 50 x 50 x 10 mm (length, width, height)
• OCR, including handwritten addresses and notes
• RFID
• Hazardous labels
• Special characters or symbols
• Deformation inspection, detecting damaged items
For pallet scanning, the VIPAC In-Motion provides a range of camera options and configurations that can
be used to scan multiple parcels and containers stacked on pallets, in both static and in-motion states.
Equipped with the Auto-ID system, they can create images of the complete pallet, which are saved to archive. The system can capture dimensions and weight, all codes and plain text. Error-free data records with images provide clear evidence regarding the quantity, weight, volume, and integrity of each pallet shipment, the dimension data is certified as legal for trade.
The VIPAC In-Motion detects pallets that have not been loaded uniformly, protrusions, deviations from the pallet standard, and checks whether pallets are stackable. Pallets can be processed up to 75% faster than manual capture, with a scan rate up to 400 pallets per hour.
For static measurement of pallets VITRONIC has just released VIPAC Static Pallets - MetriXFreight.
VIPAC Static Pallets - MetriXFreight uses two to six time-of-flight (ToF) cameras mounted above the measuring zone that take a 3D picture of the pallet in one motion. The ToF cameras produce a depth image, each pixel
of which encodes the distance to the corresponding point on the pallet. These cameras can be used to estimate 3D structure directly, without the help of traditional computer-vision algorithms.
The image and measurement data of the pallet is fed back to the operator via a graphical user interface in real time and into the customer’s ERP. VIPAC Static Pallets - MetriXFreight delivers speed advantages up to 50% faster than conventional pallet-scanning systems.
Incoming goods, automating processes, and data capture for incoming goods is essential for e-commerce companies wanting to speed up their fulfillment processing. But this speed does not come at the cost of accuracy, as errors are greatly reduced, while capturing and measuring all goods. With incoming goods, different supplier labels present a challenge. Since these labels are not standardized, they make the processing of incoming goods more difficult.
VITRONIC’s Auto-ID solutions decipher a large range of labels automatically. Incoming goods can be imaged, recorded, and sorted for efficient processing and storage.
Outgoing goods that pass through Auto-ID systems record all codes and are precisely measured for weight and volume, allowing optimal loading of vehicles for transport. This automation accelerates processes considerably, and increased volumes can be handled easily while also reducing errors and saving costs.
During the processing of outgoing goods, each package and pallet is imaged and recorded. The systems transmit all shipment data to connected merchandise management systems.
Damaged shipments can be identified and sorted out immediately. The benefits include secure tracking, clarity in case of irregularities, and smooth claims management.
As the volume of returns increase for retailers, the more important it is to automate the processing of returned goods to ensure they are handled quickly and with as few errors as possible.
VIPAC Smalls-Sort provides a returns processing capture that is 400% faster than manual handling by imaging and recording and permits the precise posting of data in customer ERP systems. While the VIPAC In-Motion Scanning Tunnel can process up to 25,000 incoming pieces, bags, or packages per hour, recording multiple levels of information.
These automated systems permit a heightened capability to ensure customers can be refunded the correct amount once returns have been checked and categorized.
A critical feature of the latest evolution of auto-ID and data capture sortation systems and tunnels is their flexibility and compatibility in design to adapt to any software protocols at play in e-commerce fulfillment centers. The systems can
easily be integrated into any fulfillment operation with connectivity to any WMS and ERP.
These in-motion auto-ID systems enable complex and error-prone processes to run quickly and smoothly, create visibility across the value chain, and provide the data needed for Industry 4.0.
Only with automated fulfillment, combined with the latest evolution of auto-ID and data capture, can e-commerce companies deliver fast and error-free delivery, and continue to expand and face the challenges of demanding retail consumers. While automation and digitized auto-ID require significant investments, companies are finding that when the right data is captured and applied to optimize processes from receiving through delivery, compelling ROI is realized. DW VITRONIC • vitronic.com
Panos Gamvroudis • Product manager for controls and automation • Conductix-Wampfler
Data drives decisions. The modern warehouse depends on the seamless data flow across various systems — from inventory tracking to AGV route optimization and supply chain visibility. This data is more than a nice to have … it gives design engineers valuable insights across the manufacturing operations — helping identify bottlenecks, prevent system shutdowns, and boost efficiency. Yet, many companies still use outdated data infrastructure ill-equipped to handle
the demands of modern automation. When infrastructure is sub-par, so too are business insights.
Consider how one can accurately prepare warehouse infrastructure for communication implementation from planning to execution.
1. Assess the current infrastructure. Start by identifying current paint points. Experiencing Wi-Fi dropouts that halt operations? Looking for consistent
communication to shuttle palettes? Lacking quick message transfers between conductor bars? These are the types of day-to-day issues that can be addressed with updated data communications.
A single weak link in the data chain can cause delays, errors, or even entire system shutdowns. As more devices are connected, ensuring that data is quickly, securely, and reliably transmitted should be priority. Once operations personnel detail weak links throughout
a facility, engineers can begin to identify suitable communication systems to address problems.
2. Consider worker safety and cybersecurity.
Energy and data-transmission systems are key to the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of automated equipment. Creating the most secure, direct, and clear line of communication between equipment such as conductor rails, slip rings, and cable reels is integral to ensuring the workforce can confidently and safely operate equipment and navigate the warehouse.
In addition to investing in fast and reliable networks, consider prioritizing encryption protocols, firewalls, and other security measures that safeguard data. Cyberattacks on supply chains are on the rise. In fact, the number of impacted warehouses rose by 58% in 2023 alone. As warehouses become more reliant on data, they become more vulnerable to hacking attempts. Implementing stringent cybersecurity measures today will help protect critical systems and prevent costly downtime in the future.
3. Partner with an experienced vendor. When considering the reliable communication needs of a facility, picking a vendor partner who understands specific pain points and goals can go a long way in boosting operations and efficiency. Partnering with vendors that have longstanding experience in the manufacturing industry is a good place to start. Establishing a trusted relationship with a vendor partner who recommends the right solution for the facility can help limit potential hold-ups or equipment replacements.
Additionally, look for vendors that have well-rounded offerings. With few exceptions, all warehouses are unique and operational best practices are constantly changing. As many industries continue to wade into the digital age and adopt more automation throughout manufacturing operations, it’s critical to find a vendor who can offer customizable and scalable infrastructure and equipment. Should a warehouse team
Warehouse engineers can ensure their operations are prepared for the future by properly revamping their communication infrastructures.
work with a vendor who can’t adapt to the times, it may find its operations lag industry competition and suffer from slow equipment turnarounds as well as downtime.
4. Invest in data-over-power solutions. Once one understands the needs of the facility and have identified a suitable vendor partner, one can work to nail down the right communication system for operations. Data-over-power solutions are a suitable choice for industrial applications. With data’s growing volume and complexity across facilities, these platforms provide the high-speed, lowlatency connections needed to support realtime operations in a densely packed warehouse.
Investing in hardwired data-overpower solutions helps to protect against data breaches, facilitate realtime decisionmaking for optimizing workflows, and enhance operational transparency. They also can take the place of Wi-Fi for mobile equipment communication with the same minimal maintenance as a Wi-Fi solution, eliminating the chance of network dropouts that spur downtime.
5. Consider standardization on protocols growing the fastest. Warehouse engineers should look for communication components that support protocols on the rise. For example, if operations have a high level of automation involving motion control — common in warehouse settings —
these might include slip-ring assemblies and conductor systems to handle the transmission of data via high-speed digital protocols such as EtherCAT. Such products can serve as complete solutions by carrying electrical power to motors, analog signals to legacy field devices, and EtherCAT digital communications to the burgeoning ecosystem of actuators, controls, and robotics that communicate on the protocol. DW
Conductix-Wampfler conductix.com
IKO’s LT170H2 direct-drive linear motor stage is suitable for dynamic applications such as semiconductor fabrication which require high thrust forces and long strokes.
For rapid acceleration and deceleration:
• 30~600mm rail lengths
• 2~12 mm rollers
• 150 million cycle endurance
Now Available in All Stainless Steel.
Load capacity is increased up to 250% over competition’s by greater roller-to-rail contact
Number of rollers is 20% to 55% greater than competitions.
Steel retainer
Raceway’s depressions track STUDROLLER’s nodules preventing slippage - in any position. (Patent Pending)
PI’s V-827 direct-drive linear stages are tailored for demanding applications with high loads to 150 kg.
nor compliance because they lack mechanical drivetrains and couplings.
As for single-axis linear stages, they’re most often used in applications where high accuracy and repeatability are required such as in imaging and microscopy, including medical applications such as genomics and others. Also of note; single-axis linear stages can be combined to form multi-axis systems, such as X-Y or X-Y-Z stages, in multiple dimensions with multiple degrees of freedom/motion.
Some recent offerings from a variety of companies illustrate the range of choices engineers have in putting together their linear motion systems and designs.
Case in point is a new direct-drive linear motor stage from IKO. The company’s new LT170H2 direct-drive linear motor stage is suitable for dynamic applications such as semiconductor fabrication which require high thrust forces and long strokes. The latest
addition to the LT family of linear motor stages delivers 260 N of rated force and up to 500 N maximum, exceeding the thrust ratings of previous LT stages and expanding the linear stage series’ range of suitable applications — especially those that involve positioning heavy objects in tight spaces.
The redesigned linear motor leverages direct-drive technology that’s free of mechanical power transmission parts that can otherwise hinder positioning accuracy. The LT170H2 also comes with C-Lube linear bearings for guidance. Together, they let the positioning stage achieve higher thrust forces and high speeds with exceptional precision.
Some of the main features and specifications include high speeds up to 3,000 mm/sec with high repeatability thanks to the low-cogging motor design. Also, low power consumption due to the high thrust rating with the LT170H2 consuming approximately 48 % less power than the previous LT…H units. The units also feature long strokes of up to
2,750 mm and a compact size with a 170mm width.
In addition to semiconductor fabrication applications, the LT170H2 is also well-suited for use in measuring instruments, assembly systems and material handling machinery.
Another example of a single-axis linear stage is the V-574 from Physik Instrumente (PI). This high-dynamic linear motor stage family is a new series of linear positioning stages with guiding precision and frictionless three-phase linear motors. The stages are offered with 60, 130, and 230-mm travel range.
Equipped with high-precision crossedroller bearings installed in a proprietary process, these stages feature high geometric performance. The 130-mm variant, for example, features 1.2-µm straightness and flatness over the full travel range, along with pitch and yaw of only 45 and 40 µrad, respectively.
Three-phase ironless, cog-free linear motors transfer their force directly and friction-free to the motion platform eliminating backlash and play that can
impact screw-driven stages. The V-574 stages achieve velocities up to 1 m/sec and 1 g acceleration, while the brushless motors are maintenance-free, ensuring longevity in demanding 24/7 operations.
Mechanically, the V-574 series features ironless non-cogging linear motors which allow for smooth motion, and a high dynamic velocity range along with rapid acceleration. This makes the stages suitable for applications where high or extremely constant velocity is required, such as in optics inspection, metrology, photonics, interferometry, and semiconductor test equipment. The frictionless, zero-wear motor drives are also common in fast automation applications, where reliability and maximum uptime are crucial.
The linear stages come with three encoder choices, two sine/ cosine encoders for traditional motion controllers and an absolute encoder with BiSS-C transfer protocol. The absolute encoder achieves 1-nm resolution and transmits the current stage position to the controller immediately after power up – with no referencing required and no possibility to lose encoder counts in electrically noisy environments.
Likewise, PI’s V-827 direct-drive linear stages are tailored for demanding applications with high loads to 150 kg, high throughput requirements, and a need for extended reliability. The stages excel in straightness and flatness performance. Equipped with a robust, non-cogging direct drive motor, the V-827 precision positioning stage family delivers exceptional performance in production environments. Plus, like similar single-axis linear stages, the design allows for easy XY configuration and multi-axis operation with additional vertical translation stages and rotary positioning stages.
Similar to PI’s V-574 stages, these stages feature three-phase motors that provide higher dynamics and friction-
free, maintenance-free operation. They transfer force directly to the motion platform, eliminating backlash and play. Recirculating ball bearings ensure reliability and robustness, with a high load capacity of 150 kg for long bearing lifetime.
The recirculating bearings also play a key role in ensuring superior straightness and flatness. In fact, the V-827 offers exceptional geometric accuracy of 4 µm/5 µm straightness/ flatness over 1,000 mm of travel and 0.15 µm bidirectional repeatability, along with high dynamic properties suitable for automation. Additionally, the ultraprecision recirculating ball bearings are designed to operate maintenance-free throughout the stage’s lifespan.
The stages are available in travel lengths of 300, 500, 750, and 1,000 mm. In its absolute encoder version, the V-827 stage offers not only 1-nm resolution but also ensures the safest
and most efficient start, eliminating the need for initialization or homing procedures.
The V-827 stage is suitable for a range of applications including laser machining or ablation, laser microprocessing, semiconductor metrology, wafer dicing, precision automation, pick and place, automated precision assembly, X-ray or AOI inspection, and tomography. DW
IKO ikont.com
IDEC Corporation www.idec.com
Physik Instrumente (PI) pi-usa.us
T.J. Kusnierek • Sales Product Manager — Shopfloor Solutions • Bosch Rexroth
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can be a costly issue for businesses. Damage to devices alone can add up financially, and when you consider associated costs (loss of production time, repair, overhead), the overall impact can be significant.
Understanding the types of damage that ESD can cause and creating a plan to protect your operations is critical to minimizing the financial and operational impact of ESD. Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can cause different types of damage to electronic components and devices. These include:
• Gate oxide/gate damage - Integrated circuits can be permanently damaged by ESD, which causes the breakdown of the gate oxide layer in metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistors. It can also damage the thin insulating layers (gate dialectrics) in MOS transistors. This affects functionality and can lead to leakage
currents and catastrophic failure of a component or device.
• Latch-up- ESD can activate parasitic thyristors inside an integrated circuit, causing a high (and potentially damaging) current flow.
• Metallic interconnect - The metal traces on printed circuit boards (PCBs) are also vulnerable to ESD, which can cause localized melting or vaporization of metal traces. This leads to open circuits or short circuits of the PCBs.
• Junction breakdown - ESD can result in the breakdown of semiconductor junctions within diodes and transistors, causing
permanent damage or degradation of components.
ESD doesn’t always lead to immediate catastrophic failure. There are warning signs that can indicate an ESD issue with your electrical components or devices. Keeping an eye out for these issues can help a business to identify and address ESD as quickly as possible. These red flags include:
• Data corruption - ESD can corrupt digital devices, which leads to random system crashes, corrupted files, and the loss of critical information.
• Intermittent problems - Some intermittent issues which have no apparent cause could be the result of ESD. Recurrent, difficultto-diagnose problems without an apparent alternate cause could be an indication of ESD.
• Unexpected equipment failureOne of the most significant signs of ESD is when a piece of equipment performs inconsistently or fails unexpectedly, due to ESD damage to internal circuits.
ESD can have a negative impact on electronic components and devices, from gradual degradation to immediate and total failure. However, ESD risks can be minimized with an ESD protection strategy.
ESD risk aversion strategies can be implemented for the diode, transistor, or device, but they can also incorporate manual workstations. Workstations can be designed using materials that limit electrical buildup and discharge and by following some simple guidelines, can also be static-free. This includes ensuring all potential ESD sources (equipment, materials, and personnel) are grounded to the same electrical ground point, known as the “common point ground.” Depending on the specific environment, a static-free area may require floor and table mats, wrist bands, heel grounders, air ionizers, or other static-dissipating materials.
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has created guidelines for best practices to protect electronics from ESD . Their recommendations include “fundamental ESD control principles” such as grounding all conductors, avoiding discharge from any charged, sensitive device, and employing ESD protective packaging where necessary.
The International ESD Association outlined six basic principles of static control, which are the recommended
areas of focus in the development and implementation of ESD control programs.
Basic principles of static control
1. Design in protection by designing products and assemblies to be as robust as reasonable from the effects of ESD.
2. Define the level of control needed in your environment.
3. Identify and define the electrostatic protected areas (EPAs), the areas in which you will be handling ESD susceptible (ESDS) items.
4. Reduce Electrostatic charge generation by reducing and eliminating static generating processes, keeping processes and materials at the same electrostatic potential, and by providing appropriate ground paths to reduce charge generation and accumulation.
5. Dissipate and neutralize by grounding, ionization, and the use of conductive and dissipative static control materials.
6. Protect products from ESD with proper grounding or shunting and the use of static control packaging and material handling products.
ESD can be a destructive force in any environment that uses electronic components, including any factory, warehouse, or manufacturing plant. To minimize the risk of data corruption, downtime, device failure, and additional costs associated with ESD, it is critical to understand the types of damage that ESD can cause, look out for red flags to warn of its presence, and take action to protect your business. DW
Modern desktop rack enclosures for 10.5” and 19” subracks, chassis or front panels. Standard heights: 3U, 4U, 5U and 6U. Supplied fully assembled with side handles, chassis supports, non-slip feet and ventilated base and rear panels.
Thermal management is essential in electric vehicles — ensuring proper operation of all components, enhancing efficiency and, therefore, range, and keeping the car’s interior in comfortable conditions. Magnetic sensors and motor controllers are essential to monitor all system valves and pump functions.
The auto industry is amid two transformative trends: the gradual transition from internal combustion engines (ICE) to electric motors and drivetrains, and the ongoing development of driver assistance and self-driving features. Sensor technology is famously integral to both trends, but electrification and assisted driving account for only some application areas where sensors are integrated into modern automobiles.
Some consider cars as computers on wheels, but the fact is that cars will always be complex electromechanical systems with many moving parts — everything from wheels, braking systems, and suspension systems to valves in conduits for various fluids and gases.
It becomes more efficient and safer as monitoring and control become more
precise. The positions of moving parts must be detected and controlled, the reserves of fluids need to be monitored, and the status of multiple automotive subsystems need to be monitored.
Electric vehicles (EVs) have motors, batteries, and charging systems that must be managed as carefully. Each of these systems has its specific temperature range within which it should
operate, requiring sophisticated thermal management. This is equally true of all distinct EV types: battery-powered EVs, hybrid EVs, mild hybrid EVs, and plug-in hybrid EVs (xEV).
All of this is accomplished using sensors. Our intent here is to provide an overview of how rich modern automobiles are in sensors, including brief explanations of what some of those
sensors are, along with a survey of some of the use cases discussed less frequently than electrification or selfdriving.
The number of sensors in each automobile rolling off a production line today is estimated to be anywhere from 50 to 200 or more. That range might seem wide, but the requirements for sensors vary from one automaker to the next and are subject to driveline type and vehicle segment. Furthermore, feature-rich vehicles will have many more sensors than modestly priced cars.
Analysts generally agree that the average number of sensors that different automakers use to monitor and control a vehicle’s drivetrain is about 30. That estimate applies whether the car has a gas engine or an electric motor, though the lineup of sensors will be different.
On the one hand, ICE vehicles will have sensors that monitor the position of mechanical parts, including throttles, camshafts, and turbochargers. They will also include airflow and pressure sensors (inside the intake manifold, for example). EV powertrains, on the other hand, require sensors to measure electrical parameters, including currents, voltages, and the state of the battery, known as SoX, with “X” representing “charge” or “health.”
Of the full complement of sensors in a car, estimates are that another 20 or 30 are dedicated to driver-assist and automated self-driving features. These estimates generally focus on the various combinations of optical, radar, ultrasound, and lidar sensors auto OEMs elect to use to detect other vehicles, pedestrians, and objects.
While much attention has been focused on the EV transformation and self-driving capabilities, modern vehicles also incorporate many sensors in almost every function performed by and in a modern car.
Several sensor types suit that purpose, including Hall sensors, tunneling
magnetoresistance (TMR) sensors, inertial measurement units (IMU), temperature sensors, pressure sensors, microphones, and others.
Though Hall and TMR sensors are magnetic sensors, they operate on different magnetic properties, each featuring specific sweet-spot applications. Both technologies are excellent for detecting the position of mechanical elements, and the selection among the two is defined by requirements such as sensitivity, signal-to-noise, stray field robustness, or space claim.
TMR is typically suitable for detecting smaller and quicker movements in tight environments, such as detecting the position of the rotor of small motors. In contrast, Hall, as a decade-proven technology, is often considered for covering larger movements in harsher environments, for instance, the pedal’s stroke or the position of a valve. A common use case of magnetic sensors is current sensing in the drivetrain.
Design engineers will have a thorough understanding of the needs of the specific application they are working on and will know how to consider the differences when selecting between them.
That said, TMR versus Hall is not always an either/or proposition. They are often used in tandem to provide a solution for mission-critical applications with high requirements on functional safety, as they offer sought-for “heterogenous redundancy.”
IMUs, meanwhile, are sensors that combine a magnetometer and an accelerometer to provide 6-axis motion detection. IMUs accurately detect vehicle dynamics in real time, feeding reliable data to decision-making algorithms, including safety-critical applications like airbag deployment.
The most direct driving experience for most people, besides acceleration, is through steering and braking.
For example, automakers frequently opt to use Hall sensors in their steering systems to measure angle, torque, and axle position. In contrast, TMRs are used to detect the position of the electric power steering (EPS) motor. Precise determinations are crucial for driver safety, improving vehicle performance, and supporting advanced driver assistance systems.
Brake booster/actuator motor equipped with a Micronas HAL 302x Fast Hall-sensor, crucial for measuring brake actuators’ precise force and position, enabling a seamless feedback loop for enhanced braking performance and safety.
Example of a multi-way valve for managing different fluids within the thermal management system of an automobile. The integrated Micronas HVC 5x embedded motor controller drives the DC motor inside — depending on the signals it gets from magnetic sensors monitoring the position of the actuators and regulators in the valve.
When it comes to both electromechanical and electrohydraulic brakes (EMB and EHB, respectively), automakers use sensors to extract data in real time for precise control of braking force. Automakers use a combination of Hall and TMR sensors for precise brakeby-wire, to drive actuation motors (e.g., the e-motor boosting brake pressure or for direct actuation of the pads), to detect the position of brake calipers in a feedback loop, and to measure brake fluid levels. Using these sensors helps ensure the raking systems’ safety, efficiency, and responsiveness.
In EVs, Hall and TMR sensors can also be used, for example, in the e-axle to transmit the transmission position, as a parking lock sensor, or to measure the rotor position. Rotor-position sensing is a highly dynamic process, as the sensor needs to keep track of the fast-spinning rotor to adapt precisely to what the driver intends to do. The more accurate the rotor position sensor, the more responsive the vehicle will feel, and the more economically the motor can be operated.
Again, the most celebrated advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) features are the ones that perform object detection, a capability that relies on the use of cameras, radar, lidar, and ultrasound. What is sometimes skipped over is that some of these sensors rely on other sensors (Hall, TMR, IMU) for image stabilization. The incessant vibration that motor vehicles experience on the road renders any image detection close to useless without stabilization.
But there are other essential ADAS functions. These include dynamic suspension, headlight leveling, electronic/roll stability control (ESC/RSC), and drive-by-wire (DbW). These also
require the precise control of mechanical elements, and detecting the position of these elements is critical for passenger safety. IMUs are frequently used for these applications.
Thermal management is as much an issue for xEVs as it is for ICE vehicles. Where ICE cars have engines that cannot be allowed to overheat, xEVs have batteries, charge systems, power inverters, and motors that must be similarly cooled. Still, unlike ICE vehicles, they also sometimes need to be heated. That applies especially to the battery. Lithium-ion chemistries used in today’s xEVs operate best (charging and discharging) in a temperature window between 30 and 60°C.
All systems in an xEV must operate efficiently from a single power source — the battery — and ensuring the entire system operates optimally requires complex thermal management systems.
That each of the EV subsystems (battery, motor, charger) has its distinct temperature range complicates the thermal management task.
That, of course, requires thermal sensors as well as Hall and/or TMR sensors, all working in conjunction with high-voltage controllers to drive actuators in valves and pumps (usually 12V, but up to 48V; both values are high in this context).
Position sensors are critical to ensuring that the pumps, valves, and vents used to keep all these subsystems within their respective optimal temperature ranges are used precisely and efficiently.
Coolant valves are a representative example of increasing complexity. Some automakers are now using 8-way valves. Sensor makers are devising sensors that can monitor such complexity and are adopting sophisticated controllers with enough flash memory to contain the necessary software.
Mentioning pumps and valves brings up a corollary issue. Every vehicle has multiple reservoirs for coolants, antifreeze solutions, windshield cleaners, and other fluids. Sensors are used to monitor fill levels. Once again, magnetic position sensors are commonly used for size, cost, and functional safety reasons. Magnetic-level sensors have replaced other technologies (capacitive sensors, ultrasound) in many applications.
Sensors that measure pressure and meter flow ensure that conduits for gases (e.g., refrigerants) are sound and operating optimally.
xEV manufacturers are now deliberately making additional use of vehicle grilles for cooling purposes, carefully managing how open or closed they are and using them to direct airflow where needed — another task for position sensors and motor drivers. These systems are more sophisticated than one might guess because they must be capable of stall detection; this allows them to avoid damage should the grille get clogged by dirt, snow, or road debris.
Throughout most of the history of ICE vehicles, the passenger cabin has been treated almost as an entirely separate domain. After all, there was little reason to integrate the engine with in-cabin comfort functions (with a few exceptions, such as siphoning heat from the engine for warming and relying on the engine to drive power for compressors). This approach led to growth in the number of more-or-less independent subsystems within every vehicle, a proliferation that eventually became unwieldy. Now, automakers are competing to find new efficiencies, and combining multiple systems with similar functions has been a fruitful avenue toward that goal.
A prime example of this is the thermal anagement system of modern xEVs. Suppose you need a sophisticated heating, air conditioning, and ventilation (HVAC) system for the motor and battery, and you already have one for
the passenger cabin. In that case, it is inefficient to keep them separate. Automotive OEMs have begun treating new vehicles as a unified HVAC system capable of both heating and refrigeration. Again, this necessitates temperature sensors, along with all the positional sensors, actuators, and controllers for all the active elements in the overall HVAC system.
Auto OEMs continue to outfit automobile cabins with new features and amenities; of course, sensors have roles to play here. Think about a modern luxury seat in a car: it is vented and provides massage, which would be impossible without modern sensors and drivers.
It is beneficial to monitor and provide precise control of seats, windows, sunroofs, doors, windshield wipers, and other exterior and interior systems for both comfort and safety. Doing so relies
on a mix of Hall and TMR positional sensors, along with IMUs, depending on the application. Infotainment systems, meanwhile, are increasingly voiceactivated, necessitating the inclusion of microphones.
We have been talking about precision in monitoring and control, but it is important to note that automotive manufacturers continue to innovate, and that innovation often comes with more complexity. This puts pressure on sensor manufacturers to be innovative too. DW TDK-Micronas • micronas.tdk.com
Off-the-shelf bearings are mass-produced, ensuring consistent availability and significantly reduced lead times compared to custom alternatives. Their large-scale manufacturing also benefits from economies of scale, lowering costs without compromising quality. However, while off-the-shelf bearings are suitable for many applications, some scenarios require a more tailored approach.
BY: CHRIS JOHNSON
The choice of bearings in machinery design significantly affects performance, durability, and cost. Bearings are essential for reducing friction, supporting loads, and allowing smooth operation of moving parts. With the rise in demand for highly specialized machinery and growing interest in custom manufacturing, engineers often face a critical decision — selecting custom bearings tailored to their application or opting for readily available off-the-shelf solutions. Here, Chris Johnson, managing director of bearing specialist SMB Bearings, weighs up the advantages and disadvantages.
For engineers working under tight deadlines or within budget constraints, off-the-shelf bearings often provide the most practical solution. These bearings are mass-produced, ensuring consistent availability and significantly reducing lead times compared to custom alternatives. Their large-scale manufacturing also benefits from economies of scale, lowering costs without compromising quality.
What’s more, off-the-shelf bearings undergo rigorous standardization and testing to meet industry standards, like ISO 281, bearing life calculation, and ISO 492, tolerance classes for rolling bearings. Compliance with these standards ensures predictable performance and reliability across a wide range of applications, from industrial machinery to aerospace systems.
Another key advantage of off-the-shelf bearings is their versatility. With a broad range of options designed to accommodate different loads, speeds and environmental conditions, they are widely used across industries, including automotive, medical, and manufacturing sectors.
While off-the-shelf bearings are suitable for many applications, some scenarios require a more tailored approach. Custom bearings are specifically designed to meet unique specifications such as non-standard sizes, extreme operating conditions, or specialized load capacities.
In cases where off-the-shelf bearings almost meet the requirements, additional customization — like applying specialized lubricants — can improve performance without the need for fully-customized designs.
The aerospace industry is increasingly using custom parts and components to enable more diverse and specialized aircraft designs. For instance, industries like aerospace and medical devices often require bearings with high precision — meaning tight dimensional tolerances, low friction, and consistent rotational accuracy. These bearings must also be resistant to harsh environments and capable of functioning under high speed or heavy load conditions. Custom bearings allow engineers to address these challenges, ensuring optimal performance and durability.
However, custom solutions come with trade-offs. The design and manufacturing process often require significant time and investment, resulting in higher costs and longer lead times. Engineers must carefully evaluate whether the added benefits of custom bearings justify these challenges.
Custom or off-the-shelf — how do you decide?
When making the choice between custom and off-the-shelf bearings, it is crucial to assess several key factors to ensure the most suitable choice for your application.
First, consider the specific requirements of your application. Are there unique operating conditions — such as high temperatures, unusual loads, or non-standard dimensions — that off-the-shelf bearings may not be able to address? If the answer is yes, then custom bearings may be the better option.
Next, evaluate the project’s budget. Custom bearings often involve higher manufacturing and design costs, so it’s important to determine whether the additional expense aligns with any financial constraints.
Alongside costs, lead time is another consideration. Deloitte reported in its 2025 Manufacturing Industry Outlook that despite lead times have shown improvement since pre-pandemic levels, global supply chain disruptions persist. It predicts that companies are expected to face continued supply chain risk in 2025, due to factors like geopolitical tensions, labor shortages, and rising input costs.
Custom bearings typically require longer production timelines, which could impact your overall schedule. If a faster turnaround is essential, off-the-shelf bearings might be more practical.
Finally, think about the performance trade-offs. In some cases, off-theshelf bearings can be adapted to meet specific requirements through modifications, such as relubrication or material coatings. For example, thin dense chromed (TCD) plating can be applied to improve wear resistance, reduce friction, and improve corrosion resistance — a good idea for harsh environments like food processing or marine applications.
This approach can achieve the desired performance improvements in a cost-effective manner, bridging the gap between standard and custom solutions.
In cases where off-the-shelf bearings almost meet the requirements, additional customization — like applying specialized lubricants — can improve performance without the need for fully-customized designs. For example, perfluoropolyether (PFPE) lubricants
are commonly used in aerospace and vacuum applications because of its excellent thermal stability and resistance to extreme temperatures.
Polyurea-based greases offer excellent oxidation stability and are good for high-speed electric motor bearings, while food grade lubricants ensure compliance with safety regulations in food and pharmaceutical processing.
This approach offers a middle ground, balancing cost efficiency with tailored performance.
By thoroughly evaluating these factors, engineers can make informed decisions that balance functionality, cost and efficiency.
The decision between custom and off-the-shelf bearings ultimately comes down to striking the right balance between functionality, cost, and efficiency — three factors that directly influence overall machinery performance, durability, and long-term value.
By understanding the demands of the application and exploring ways to enhance standard bearings through relubrication or coatings, engineers can often achieve high-performance outcomes without the cost and lead time of a fully custom solution. DW
The top technology challenges — and opportunities — facing modern facilities.
Warehouse automation is beginning to reshape logistics and supply chain operations by bringing significant benefits, including speed, efficiency, and reduced labor dependency. These capabilities will only increase with the proliferation of robotics and artificial intelligence in these facilities. However, many organizations still face serious hurdles when acquiring, integrating, operating, and maintaining automated systems.
To understand the current state of the warehouse, WTWH Media’s Automated Warehouse recently surveyed readers to understand what technologies are being used, the impact of those investments, and the areas of focus in the future.
Some of the key findings include:
• Capital investment poses challenges amid economic constraints and uncertainty.
• Operators see the need for new robotic systems with advanced vision systems and Internet of Things (IoT) integration.
• Respondents said they expect AI to affect productivity in the automated warehouse.
The report highlights some of these key findings.
The primary job functions of the 96 survey respondents include manufacturing engineers, design engineers, system integrators, operations, and general management. The majority of them (57%) said they are currently evaluating or adopting new automated systems for the warehouse.
What automation are you using or considering using in your warehouse, fulfillment center, or distribution center?
When asked what automation they use or are considering using, it’s no surprise that conveyors are the most common equipment laying the automation foundation within warehouses, fulfillment centers, and distribution centers. Considered the backbone of the automated movement, conveyors provide reliable transport of goods through a facility, especially in high-volume operations.
Similarly, automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) are popular, especially in space-constrained environments where the ASRS can increase vertical storage efficiency and reduce human travel time.
Meanwhile, picking systems, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), packaging systems, and robotic palletizing/depalletizing systems are also used to speed order accuracy,
ease transport tasks, and improve efficiency while reducing workplace injuries.
To date, a full 69% of survey respondents said that the integration of automated systems moderately or significantly improved efficiency in the facility. Performance and return on investment (ROI) are measured by labor cost savings (56%), accuracy (49%), downtime (48%), throughput (36%), and space utilization (31%).
Automation obstacles: Cost, integration, labor
Of course, automation comes with its fair share of challenges. The leading one, cited by 59% of respondents, is the substantial capital investment required to implement automation.
From robotics and conveyor systems to software platforms, the initial costs
can be daunting —especially for small to midsized facilities. Even with longterm ROI potential, the upfront financial commitment often slows adoption.
Nearly half (48%) of respondents reported integration with existing systems as a major challenge. Many warehouses operate with a patchwork of older equipment and software, and aligning new automation technologies with legacy systems can require complex custom solutions and significant IT involvement.
In addition, about 31% noted capability limitations, reflecting frustration with the rigid or task-specific nature of some automated systems. In environments where product types, volumes, or workflows change frequently, flexibility is key — yet many current systems struggle to adapt without costly reconfigurations.
What are the biggest challenges you face in acquiring, operating and maintaining automated warehoue systems?
Technical issues (26%) and a lack of skilled personnel (26%) are often interconnected. As automation grows more sophisticated, so does the need for specialized talent to install, troubleshoot, and optimize these systems. Finding qualified staffers, or upskilling existing workers, remains a critical concern, as does system downtime (25%), the cost of maintenance (24%), and workplace safety concerns (23%).
A smaller portion (8%) cited “other” challenges, which may include regulatory hurdles, vendor reliability, space constraints, or environmental considerations unique to their facilities. Making the warehouse a safe place Protecting people is always a top priority, so when introducing automation into the warehouse, there must always be a plan in place to keep workers safe. This requires a proactive, multi-faceted approach. As technology evolves, so
too must the strategies used to protect the people working alongside these systems.
Survey respondents noted the use of safety protocols (61%), training (60%), safety barriers and zones (56%), regular maintenance and assessments (41%), safety PLCs and controllers (32%), and advanced sensors and AI (26%) as the top ways they safeguard employees.
In addition, warehouse environments should be designed for
Position, angle and speed measurement
Contactless, no wear and maintenance-free
High positioning accuracy and mounting tolerances
Linear and rotary solutions
ergonomics and emergency access to ensure operators can access emergency stops (e-stops), manual overrides, and maintenance panels without strain or delay.
The future of the automated warehouse
When asked what major technological advancements have been made in the automated warehouse over the past few years, survey respondents mentioned the development of new robotic systems (52%), improved AI and machine learning capabilities (46%), enhanced vision systems (41%), and integration with IoT devices (28%). Most respondents (57%) say they are making more technology investments, which is a smart decision.
That’s because the automated warehouse is poised to become even more transformative in the next five to 10 years, driven by emerging technologies and shifting operational priorities. The top technologies that will shape the future warehouse include:
1. Increased use of AI and machine learning (65%)
Topping the list of future trends is the expanded role of AI and machine learning. These technologies could help warehouses move beyond simple automation to intelligent systems that continuously optimize operations, predict maintenance needs, and enhance decision-making in real time. From demand forecasting to dynamic
inventory management, AI is seen as a critical enabler of smarter warehousing.
2. More energy-efficient systems (45%)
Sustainability is taking center stage, with nearly half of respondents anticipating more energy-efficient systems. This includes everything from low-power robotics to energyregenerative conveyors and smart lighting systems that reduce overall environmental impact and operating costs.
3. Higher adoption of AGVs and AMRs (44%)
Survey respondents said they expect wider adoption of AGVs and AMRs as the technology matures and their ROI
If you are making any technology investment in the near term, what are the business reasons?
becomes more evident. These mobile platforms are suitable for automating repetitive transport tasks and can be reprogrammed as warehouse layouts evolve, making them a versatile option for growing operations.
4. Enhanced safety features (44%)
Safety will continue to be a major focus, with improvements in sensors, machine vision, and predictive analytics driving enhanced safety features. Warehouse operators predicted more intuitive human-machine interaction, reducing the risk of accidents while improving overall worker confidence in the automated warehouse.
5. Greater integration with IoT devices (41%)
IoT will play a larger role in the connected warehouse, said operators. Smart sensors and real-time data streams could allow for seamless monitoring of equipment health,
inventory levels, environmental conditions, and even worker productivity. This deep integration will support predictive analytics and tighter control over complex operations.
6. Emerging technologies (5%) and other innovations (3%)
Some respondents highlighted emerging technologies — such as drone automation, computer vision, and advanced materials handling systems — as the next frontier. Though not yet mainstream, these innovations may unlock new levels of efficiency, especially in large-scale or high-speed fulfillment environments.
Conclusion: Warehouses to be smarter, safer, more sustainable
The next decade promises a wave of innovation that will redefine warehouse automation. From AI-driven business intelligence to environmentally conscious systems and hardware
advances, the warehouse of the future will be smarter, safer, and more responsive than ever before.
For businesses that are ready to invest in these innovations, the reward will be not just operational efficiency, but a competitive edge in an increasingly fast-paced and customer-centric market. As technology advances, the warehouse is no longer just a storage facility, rather, it’s becoming a hub of intelligence, agility, and strategic value. AW
Editor’s note: ChatGPT assisted in shaping portions of this report.
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POSTMASTER:
By Mark Jones
I got skunked. Two groups published an idea I had before I could complete the research.
But let’s go back to the beginning. Ever the supportive spouse, I accompanied my wife for her colonoscopy in early May. But I had an ulterior motive; I wanted a sample from the IV bag.
A paper I saw provided my motivation, one that continues to get press. The research found microplastics in the heart plaques of cardiac patients. 12.1% showed PVC particles. It is one of the articles commonly quoted as proof we’re being harmed by microplastics in the environment and from food and drink. The elevated PVC struck me as curious. Ingestion studies show that PVC is a minor component of exposure. I developed a hypothesis — that elevated PVC in hospital patients comes from receiving IVs.
PVC is a very common medical polymer. I’m not certain what the IV bag my wife was using was made of. It might have been PVC; the line from the bag to her arm certainly was. I asked for the IV bag, which was well less than half used. The facility refused. I was able to grab a sample, about 40 mL.
I have a home-built Rayleigh scattering rig. I’ve tested lots of samples. My system has deficiencies but allows comparison. I can tell a lot from a little. My scattering technique cannot distinguish between plastic, inorganic, and biological particles. I rely on collecting the particles and looking at them under a microscope. It isn’t perfect.
The sample from the IV bag was filled with microparticles. I went about making PVC microparticle samples for testing. I was able to concentrate PVC particles from the suspensions I made and was able to investigate their properties. Everything pointed to the
particles in the IV samples being PVC.
I hit the literature again. To my chagrin, others have identified IVs as a source of microplastics. I can’t believe it hasn’t gotten more attention. Studies showing minor shedding of particles from cutting boards get tons of press. Two studies show pretty unequivocally that IVs dose microplastics directly into the bloodstream end up largely ignored. The studies show that IVs are a certain source of microplastics. One of the studies shows a time evolution, demonstrating the particle level is highest at the start of flow. Rinsing with as little as 12 mL reduces exposure. Come December, it was my turn for a colonoscopy. I grabbed samples, again showing lots of particles. I haven’t done any further analysis, just the scattering showing many more particles than in the average disposable water bottle. It is not a fair comparison; it’s just that disposable water bottles are frequently vilified for their levels of plastic. The studies on IVs did not change behavior in Michigan. There was no line purging before the needle went into my arm.
It prompts pondering when we collectively know something and when evidence is sufficient to warrant action. We’ve been here with climate change, PFAS, alcohol consumption, and any number of other worrying studies. Even considering that there are microplastic particles present in IV bags doesn’t demand action. Presence fails to prove harm but suggests more studies are needed.
Many interpret the cardiac plaque study as evidence of harm caused by plastic. Particles in plaques could simply be the result of recent hospital exposure, not an underlying cause of plaque buildup. PVC use in medical applications began in the 1940s, and PVC still accounts for over 30% of all medical plastic with tubing for IVs
being a significant use. With 80 years of experience, these are the first studies I can find questioning the risk. If plastic particles in IVs are harmless, as decades of use would suggest, there is no need to follow the recommendation of purging lines before use.
On the flip side, it seems like a pretty minor step to reduce exposure. Directly injecting microplastics into a vein doesn’t sound good. Two colonoscopies, an admittedly small data set, each used less than half an IV bag. Purging lines with 12 mL seems a minor perturbation until the science is settled. DW
iCube Control from Yaskawa allows you to scale and collaborate the way you want. The technology works as one, with one controller, giving you flexibility, while maximizing performance. With iCube Control, you’re in total control.
